Forever and Ever
by eva.chrisovitsanousweety
Summary: He proposes to her and she accepts! Will it be the beginning of a new happy life or will the problems start now? Set before Series 1.
1. Proposal and more

**A/N: This idea was in my mind for quite some time but I only managed to write it now! It is set in 1906, Elsie is 44 years old and Charles is (according to my thoughts) 48 years old! This story was inspired from the first episode of series 4 when we watched Elsie and Charles speaking about Valentine's Day! I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in the drama isn't mine! If Downton Abbey belonged to me some things would be different! **

It was 14th February 1906 and it was Saint Valentine's Day. Charles and Elsie were courting each other for almost one and a half month now as he had asked her permission to court her on Christmas. She was so happy that day and they had their first kiss later that evening in her sitting room. He had planned and organized everything so he could have a romantic evening with the love of his life. Beryl had agreed to cook for dinner Elsie's favourite. They had finished their work for the day and they went to her sitting room for a glass of wine. She noticed that the wine wasn't what was left from the family upstairs and she was curious. She took her glass with a smile and took a sip to taste it.

"It is a very delicious wine, Charles.", she told him with a smile and took another sip from her wine.

"It is from the wines I keep away for me so I can open them in special occasions. I thought that today was a very special occasion as it is our first Valentine's Day as a couple.", he had a wide smile on his face and took a sip from his wine. "Happy Valentine's Day, my darling.", he placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Happy Valentine's Day, my darling.", she returned his kiss but with more passion.

They ended their kiss as they both needed some air. They sat there for a while in silence sipping their wine. His left hand was holding her right hand. After a few more minutes he placed his glass on the table, stood up and after he took out of his pocket something and kneeled in front of her.

"Elsie Hughes, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?", he asked her with a wide smile and opened the small box.

She put her hands in front of her mouth as she was very surprised by the action and the wonderful ring that was inside the small box. Tears started falling from her eyes as she was looking from Charles to the ring and vice versa. After a few minutes of silence she looked him straight in the eyes.

"Nothing would make me happier than become your wife, Charles.", she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with passion.

They pulled away after a few moments and he placed the ring on her finger. He took her hand and kissed it softly. He sat back down in his chair but this time he had her sitting on his lap. They picked up their glasses to finish their wine. After a while she stood up.

"Where are you going, Elsie?", he asked her a little confused as he thought, and wanted, that they would stay a while longer in her sitting room in each other's company and arms.

"It's better to go to bed, Charles.", she answered him while she was putting away her papers on her desk. "We have a busy day tomorrow and we will need our rest.", she had finished what she was doing and had turned to look at him.

She smiled at him and walked towards the door. Suddenly, she felt his hand grasping her arm and turning her around so she was pinned between his body and the door. He reached and locked the door with his left hand while he leaned forward and started kissing her passionately. In the beginning she tried to resist him but found in the process that she couldn't resist and let herself enjoy this.

"Charles… we must… go to… our beds… to rest…", it was the only thing she managed to say between their kisses and soon she let herself once more to enjoy their passion.

His hands were travelling all over her body while his lips were kissing her lips, her cheeks and her neck. She felt his hand gathering up her dress and touching her leg that was covered with her stocking. He was very surprised and confused when she pushed him away and started looking for something. She returned back to him with two blankets in her arms. She placed the one on the armchair while after pushing away the two chairs she laid the other blanket on the floor. She finished what she was doing by placing some pillows she had in her small closet in the sitting room on the blanket. She turned around and looked him in the eyes while her hands started unbuttoning her dress and she could see the lust and the desire in his eyes. Soon her dress was laying on the floor next to the blanket. She was ready to start removing her corset when he walked towards her and stopped her.

"I will do the rest.", he told her as he leaned down to place a passionate kiss on her lips.

As he was kissing her his hands moved behind her and started removing her corset. Soon her breasts were free from the corset while it was laying together with her dress. As he looked down in front of him he noticed that his jacket and shirt were already open while her hands were trying to take them off. He took his hands away from her body in order to take off his jacket and shirt. He removed his shoes and shocked before returning his attention to her body. However, as he looked at her direction he found that she had already laid down on the blanket with a wide smile on her face. He kneeled down beside her and started kissing the exposed skin between her stockings and her underwear. Soon his hands were removing her stockings as he was kissing the exposed skin of her strong legs. After a few moments her underwear joined the pool of clothes. She was now laying naked in front of him under the light of the lamp and the rays of the fire in the fireplace. He felt her hands moving to his trousers, opening them and removing them along with his underwear. He pushed her hands away so he could remove them quickly. In a matter of seconds he was laying naked next to her.

"So very beautiful, my darling Elsie.", he leaned forward and kissed her passionately.

"Charles,", she pushed him away gently. "It's not the first time I've been with a man but it's been so long ago.", she hated to admit that to the man she loved with all her being but she was a little afraid as the few times she had been with a man were very quick and not with someone she loved like that man in front of her.

He smiled warmly at her and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He knew very well what she wasn't saying and he wanted their first time together to be gentle and caring. "Don't worry for anything, love. I promise you that I will take my time to pleasure you.", he smiled at her widely and placed one more soft kiss on her lips.

She could feel his member against her thigh and she could feel the desire burning her inside. She felt his hand moving to her legs and after a moment's hesitation she opened them. He slowly moved on top of her body and positioned himself in her entrance. He entered her in one long thrust and stood still in order for their bodies to adjust to this new feeling and sensation.

"Charles… please…", she pleaded him as she was breathing heavily while her body adjusted to him being inside her.

He started moving slowly against her waiting to find their perfect rhythm to move together. As they were moving together his lips were kissing her lips, her cheeks, her neck and even her breasts while his hands were travelling and caressing her body. Slowly they reached their climax together and he spilled himself inside her. They stood united like that for a few minutes looking each other with smiles on their faces. After a while he removed himself and laid down next to her while he covered them both with the other blanket.

"I love you, Elsie.", he told her as he placed a kiss on her lips.

"I love you, Charles.", she told him and returned his kiss.

Soon the two of them fell asleep in each other's arms with smiles on their faces and dreams for their future together. They were now engaged and had made love for the first time. They were going to get married but they needed to speak about this matter more before they would go and speak with the family. It was going to be very hard for them both if they had to leave Downton in order to be together. However, for now they enjoyed a good night's sleep in each other's arm where they were supposed to be for very long.

**Please, please, please! I would like to know what you think of this chapter! I don't know if I will stop it here or continue!**

**To Be Continued?**


	2. Public announcement

**A/N: I'm very, very sorry about the late update but the last weeks have been busy for me with my studying for exams and looking after two little girls! Thank you very much for your reviews! They really mean a lot to me and they help me write this story! Let's read what will happen the next morning! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in the drama, isn't mine.**

They were sleeping so peacefully in each other's arms on the floor in her sitting room. He woke up when a ray from the sun hit his face so suddenly. He was so confused and tried to remember what had happened but after a few moments the events of the previous evening came to his mind and he smiled. He had proposed to her, she had accepted and they had made love for the first time on the floor of her sitting room. Her sitting room? That woke him up completely and turned to find his love sleeping so peacefully next to him. He smiled widely at this but he had to wake her up before everyone would come down to start their day. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Elsie? Elsie, my love. Elsie, you have to wake up.", he started shaking her lightly to wake her.

She slowly opened her eyes and sat up quickly as the events of the previous evening came to her.

"We have to get dressed before everyone comes down.", he stood up first and helped her get on her feet.

They picked up their clothes from the floor and started getting dressed quickly so they could go outside before anyone discovered them. Elsie was buttoning the last buttons of her dress when he put his hands on top of hers.

"Elsie, I don't regret for anything that happened last night. I love you and I want to spend the rest of our lives together.", he placed his hand on her cheek. "We will talk to the family today and we will get married the third Saturday of March, at your birthday.", he placed a soft kiss on her lips and smiled.

Tears started falling from her eyes and she hugged him. "I love you, Charles.", she returned his kiss with so much passion.

A noise from outside the sitting room made them pull away. They put everything in the positions they had before the events that took place last night. She unlocked the door and opened it as she looked outside to make sure the coast was clear. She saw the girl going in the opposite direction and made a sign to him that he could leave. He left the sitting room to go to his room and shave when he almost run on Beryl in the stairs.

"You woke up very early, Charles.", she told him with worry.

"I had to finish something very important before the day could start.", he felt so bad to have to lie to her.

"Have you seen Elsie, then?", she asked him with worry. "I checked her room a few minutes ago and she wasn't there.", somehow she knew that the butler knew where the housekeeper was.

"I think that she is in her sitting room. I heard a noise coming from there a while ago.", he told her and left quickly to go to his room.

Beryl walked towards the sitting room and entered the room stopping on her tracks upon seeing the housekeeper sleeping in the armchair. She walked towards her and shook her lightly to wake her up. "Elsie, what are you doing here so early?", she was a little worried for the older woman.

"I was working and I had to take a break, so I sat here to rest my back and legs for a few minutes. I must have fallen asleep.", she rubbed a little her back that was hurting her a little from the night they spent on the hard floor of her sitting room.

The cook sent her to her room to change her clothes and breakfast would wait her when she would come back down. Elsie was feeling tired but it was well worth it given the events of the previous night. He had proposed to her, she had accepted and they had made love in her sitting room. She was so happy that they had finally confessed their feelings to each other and soon they were going to get married.

**/-00-/**

After the servant's breakfast was finished the butler and the housekeeper left to go upstairs as they had a meeting with the family for something very important. They were both very nervous about the family's reaction but they were going to get through this together. They were watching their faces as they told them that they wanted to get married in order to predict their reactions. They noticed that they were all very surprised but also the women of the family had tears in their eyes.

"I must admit that this is a surprise for all of us.", Robert was the one who broke the silence. He stood up from where he was sitting next to his wife and shook the butler's hand. "Congratulations. I am very happy for you. You don't have to worry as you aren't going to lose your jobs.", he smiled at them.

Cora and the girls hugged the housekeeper and wished them all the happiness in the world. Charles and Elsie looked each other with wide smiles on their faces.

"We are going to give a cottage, except for a room in the unused wing of the house that is near to the servant's, to go whenever you have free time with the condition that me and my family will be at your wedding.", Robert told them with a smile.

"Of course, milord. We wish to be married on 18th of March, as I want our wedding to be my present for Mrs. Hughes' birthday that happens to be that exact day.", he took hold of her hand and gave it a little squeeze.

The happy couple left the library after getting once more the best wishes from the family. They announced their wedding at the staff at the servant's lunch time. They were all very happy for them, especially the cook that was a dear friend for them. That evening they shared a glass of wine in her sitting room to discuss many things. They decided to wait their wedding night to make love again and it was only a month away. They headed up to their bedrooms but before they were separated they had a passionate kiss. They both slept with smiles on their faces dreaming about their life together.

**Please, please, please review! I would like to know what you think of this chapter! **

**To Be Continued…**


	3. Pregnancy

**A/N: Sorry, it took so long to update! A very busy life! I decided to skip the wedding and the wedding night. Let's see how Charles and Elsie cooperate in their new life. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in the drama, isn't mine. **

In only two days they had their third month anniversary. They were already three months married and they were so very happy with their new life. They would go to bed and sleep together in each other's arms. They would wake up every morning together in each other's arms. They would spend every weekend in their cottage which was decorated by Elsie. Fortunately their third anniversary was Sunday so they would be both free to spend it in their cottage together.

As she was working on some papers in her sitting room she started feeling dizzy. She stopped and closed her eyes for a few minutes for the dizziness to pass so she could continue with her work. She had to admit that the last days she wasn't feeling very well. She was sure that she had caught the summer cold Anna and Daisy had only a week ago but she had hoped that she would be better for Sunday in order to celebrate with her husband. Thinking that she might have caught a serious form of the cold she decided to go to see doctor Clarkson in order to give her something for the cold.

After the lunch was over she lied to her husband that she needed to run an errand in the village because she didn't want to worry him about her cold. In her way to the hospital she had to stop two times as a wave of dizziness came again. She couldn't have a simple cold and feeling dizzy like that. Something else was happening to her and she started getting more worried. She was so grateful that doctor Clarkson wasn't very busy and examined her very quickly.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Carson! You are going to be a mother!", he informed her with a smile on his face.

She was very surprised at this revelation as she and Charles hadn't talked about children and she thought that she had entered the menopause as her period hadn't come for four whole months. "In which month I am?", she asked him after the first shock passed.

"You are four months pregnant, Mrs. Carson.", he answered her question again with a smile.

"What? But we are only thr…", she trailed off as she remembered that the first time they had made love was a month before they got married.

He rushed to her side as he noticed how pale she was after he told her that she was in the fourth month of her pregnancy. "Are you alright, Mrs. Carson?", he was worried about her as she was sitting very still looking like she was lost.

The question seemed to work as she was brought back from her thoughts and looked at him. "Yes, yes. I am fine, doctor. It just took me by surprise the whole situation.", she smiled at him and watched as he sat back down. "Mr. Carson and I hadn't talked about children and I thought I had entered the menopause because my period hadn't come for four whole months.", she looked down at her hands slightly embarrassed.

"It's alright, Mrs. Carson.", he had seen her embarrassment and wanted to change the subject. "I would like you to come to check you twice a month. I know you are a very healthy and strong woman but a pregnancy at your age is always a little more difficult.", he noticed her worry and smiled at her reassuringly. He stood up when she stood up and shook her hand.

"Thank you very much, doctor.", she returned his smile and left to return to the house.

In the way back to the house she started thinking about the baby that was growing inside her and dreaming about holding it in her arms, humming it to sleep, calling her 'mama'. She was so much happier now that they were going to have a child that was the result of their love. As the house came to her view she decided to tell him about her pregnancy on Sunday. It was going to be her most important present to her husband. She only hoped that the waves of dizziness and nausea wouldn't reveal that something was wrong with her.

**/-00-/**

That Sunday morning they had gone to the church. Elsie was so grateful that he wasn't in the room when she had rushed to the bathroom and vomited. It was a good thing that she was only sick in the mornings. They had talked a little with their friends and then went for a cup of tea to their favourite teashop in the village. She had tried hard not to throw up in the teashop as something was smelling so bad to her but she had managed to stay calm and thanked the God that they had left earlier that they had planned.

He had gone upstairs to get something after he had helped her clean up everything from the dinner they had a while ago. He had bought her a little present for their anniversary. They had arranged to meet in their sitting room, so he went back downstairs and stopped dead in his tracks upon entering the room. The small table that they had in the middle of the room between the two sofas had disappeared, the two sofas had moved away a little. On the floor in the middle of the room was a blanket, over the blanket were some cushions and she was standing in front of him with a wide smile and a grin on her face. He discovered that they were going to make love like they had their very first time. He walked towards her and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Before we do anything, I want to give you something.", he took out of his pocket the little box. "This is my present for you, love.", he opened it to reveal a necklace with a gold heart.

She took the necklace out of its box and examined it. She found that it could open and inside there was two photographs, one of him as a young man and one of their wedding. She looked up at him with tears falling from her eyes. "I love it, Charles.", she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "However, soon we are going to replace one of these two pictures.", she told him when they pulled apart. He was looking her so confused now. She didn't say anything. She took his hand and placed on her stomach. The tears continued to fall when she looked up at him again.

She watched as the realization came to him and looked at her with wide eyes. "We are going to have a baby?", he hugged her tightly to him when she nodded her head.

"We are going to have a baby in just five months, love.", she told him and kissed him again.

He pulled away looking at her a little confused. "Just wait a minute, Elsie.", he was trying to understand. "That means you are four months pregnant but we are married only three months.", he was beginning to get worried but suddenly the realization hit him once more. "That first time had its result.", he caressed her stomach and started kissing her.

Soon they were laying on the blanket on the floor making love just like they had their first time four months ago. They had found their release together but didn't pulled away from each other as they enjoyed the feeling of being one. After a while he laid down beside her and covered their hot naked forms with a blanket. They drifted off to sleep in each other's arms with smiles on their faces and lots of dreams.

**/-00-/**

He woke up when the first rays of the sun entered the sitting room and hit his face. He smiled at the sight of his wife sleeping so peacefully next to him and with her hand resting on her stomach. He couldn't believe that in five months they would hold in their arms their baby. Seeing that sleeping on the floor in her condition couldn't do something good he slowly picked her up in his arms and carried her upstairs to their bedroom. He returned downstairs to put everything back to their positions and gather their clothes. He found her awake with a wide smile on her face.

"Good morning, Mrs. Carson.", he told her as he placed their clothes on a chair next to the door.

"Good morning, Mr. Carson.", she told him and kissed him hard when he laid down next to her in their bed.

He started kissing all over her body and soon they were pleading for the sweet release to come. They enjoyed a few minutes of rest after their morning activities and had a bath. They got dressed and walked to the house to start their day once more. They had missed the servant's breakfast and Elsie was very hungry, so Charles had asked the cook to prepare a tray for the housekeeper. After a while the cook entered the sitting room with the tray and set it on the desk in front of her friend. She noticed that the housekeeper was looking more beautiful and more pale than usual.

"Elsie, are you alright? You are more pale than usual.", she asked her friend with her voice full of concern.

They had decided to wait a few days to tell the family the news about her pregnancy but she was sure that she would never hear the end of it if Beryl learnt the news after the family. So she took a deep breath, took a sip from her tea and looked at the cook.

"It is normal in my condition.", she told her and chuckled upon seeing her looking confused. "In five months Charles and I are going to have a baby.", she informed her and soon the cook was hugging her.

"Wait a minute. How can you be four months pregnant but only three months married?", the cook was eyeing the younger woman with a grin on her face.

"This baby,", she placed her hand on her stomach. ",is the result of the first time we made love on Saint Valentine's Day.", she managed to cut off the older woman before she could say anything. "He had proposed to me that night, so we let ourselves enjoy it. The next time, though, was our wedding night and you know very well that I couldn't lie to you.", she caressed her stomach.

"True.", Beryl chuckled. "I am so happy for you, Elsie.", she hugged her once more. "Now eat everything on that tray. I will return to my kitchen.", she placed a kiss on her cheek and left the sitting room.

"That went well.", she told herself and continued eating her breakfast.

**Please review! I would like to know what you think of this chapter!**

**To Be Continued…**


	4. Possible danger?

**A/N: It took me a month to write this chapter as I had a very busy program and I was engrossed in my other two stories. Let's go back to our story now. How will the family and the rest of the staff react to the news of Elsie's pregnancy? Let's find out.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Downton Abbey or its characters.**

That same afternoon Elsie and Charles decided that they wanted to keep the news of her pregnancy a secret for a few days as they weren't ready yet. Together they had spoken to the cook to keep the news to herself until they were ready to announce it to the family and the staff. The older woman understood them completely and promised them that she would keep the secret until they were ready.

They were going to have a few very busy days ahead so they decided to stay at the big house as they would be very tired to go back every night to their cottage. They were keeping her pregnancy a secret but both the butler and the cook made sure that the housekeeper was resting and eating enough as they were going through a few very busy days. Elsie appreciated their help very much but the third day she was ready to throw at them whatever her hand would grasp. So she decided to speak to them politely before the anger would overtake her control.

A week after they had learned that they were going to have a baby, Elsie woke up not feeling very well. She rushed quickly to the bathroom and reached in time the cabinet before vomiting. She was a little startled when she felt a hand on her back rubbing her but she relaxed immediately against her husband's soft caresses. She tried to stand up but she was feeling very dizzy and her head was aching. She was very grateful to her husband as he reached down and helped her stand up. He lifted her in his arms upon seeing that she wasn't very steady on her feet to walk back to their bed.

"I will cancel our meeting with the family.", he told her once she was lying back down on the bed.

"No!", she grasped his hand and looked at him. "I'm fine, Charles. The doctor had informed me about all these. It's normal for a pregnant woman to be nauseous and dizzy. I just need to rest for a few minutes and then I will be fine.", she looked him in the eyes. "Please, Charles.", she was trying hard not to cry in front of him.

"Fine.", he gave up. "I will go and shave while you rest.", he placed a soft kiss on her forehead and went to the bathroom.

She smiled as she watched him enter the bathroom. She had a feeling that she wasn't feeling nauseous and dizzy only from her pregnancy but she decided to keep quiet as she was sure that Charles would start mothering her and she was quite upset with that. They had a meeting after the family's breakfast to inform them about her pregnancy because they knew very well that at some point they would all discover that something was happening with her. After the servant's breakfast she had gone to her sitting room to catch up with some work while she waited for Charles to come and take her so they could go to their meeting with the family. As she was working on some papers she started coughing and sneezing. She was glad when it stopped as it made her head aching more and more.

Almost an hour later Elsie and Charles were standing in the library in front of the family watching their reactions at the news of Elsie's pregnancy. Cora and Mary were the first ones to congratulate them for the happy news and soon everyone followed behind wishing them all the best. She was feeling dizzy again and her head was aching but she tried to hide it from everyone. As they left the library to go downstairs and inform the staff about the news, she suddenly stopped and grasped tightly at Charles's hand.

"Charles, I am not feeling very well.", she was trying very hard to keep her eyes open and stay still as the dizziness was getting stronger and stronger.

He placed his hand on her forehead and pulled it back immediately like he was burned. "Elsie, you are burning up.", he was getting very worried now. At that moment he felt a sudden weight in his arms as Elsie fainted. "Elsie? Elsie, please open your eyes.", he was trying to wake her up. "Elsie, love, please open your eyes.", he was very worried about his wife.

The family upon hearing him had rushed to them and watched the scene very worried. Cora and her daughters were just staring at the scene while Robert was trying to figure out something. "Carson, take her to your room and I will send to fetch doctor Clarkson.", the younger man watched as his butler lifted the housekeeper in his arms and rushed upstairs to their room.

Cora was brought back to reality and quickly went downstairs to the kitchen making her husband and daughters look at her with confusion. She had to admit that the cook was very confused by seeing Lady Grantham downstairs and in her kitchen. "Mrs. Patmore, may I have a word with you?", she said and went into the hallway waiting for the older woman.

"How may I help you, M'Lady?", she didn't know why but somehow she was worried now.

"Mrs. Carson just fainted upstairs after informing us about her pregnancy.", she was speaking in a low voice as she knew that the rest of the staff didn't know anything yet. "Could you please give me a bowl with cold water and some flannels? I have a feeling that Mrs. Carson is burning up with a fever.", she watched as the older woman nodded and rushed back to the kitchen to get everything she had asked.

**/-00-/**

Half an hour later Charles, Robert and Cora were waiting outside the Carsons' rooms with concern about the housekeeper, especially now that she was pregnant. Charles was very worried about his wife but he had to stay strong now. He was ready to enter the room to see what was happening with his wife when doctor Clarkson came outside with a sad face.

"How is my wife, doctor?", he asked him trying to calm a little.

"It's just the flu but from what I gather she wasn't looking after herself very good and that's why the fever is so high. We have to bring the fever down in the next twenty-four hours as it is not good for her and the baby to have such a high fever. I will come back in the afternoon to check on her. Meanwhile, place compresses on her forehead to bring the fever down. If anything happens send someone to fetch me.", he told them and left quickly to go to the hospital.

"Carson, you have to go back to your work as you have to do Mrs. Carson's work as well. You can send Anna upstairs in a while to look after your wife. In the mean time, I will look after her.", Cora told him and watched as he resigned with a nod and left with Robert following him. She entered the Carsons' room and quickly went to the bedroom where she found the housekeeper lying on the bed. She immediately took a flannel and wet it with the cold water, then put in on the older woman's forehead.

They managed to bring down the fever by the time the doctor came to check on Elsie. Although, she had to stay in bed for a week, at least, before she could return to her routine again. Doctor Clarkson told them that he could come in three days to check on her again. Cora hadn't left the older woman's side after the doctor had left in the evening. She was sitting in the armchair next to the bed and knitting something. She stood up when she heard a groan coming from the older woman.

"What happened?", Elsie asked confused when she finally opened her eyes and discovered Lady Grantham at her side.

"You fainted outside the library. You were burning up with a very high fever but we managed to bring it down. Doctor Clarkson ordered bed rest for at least a week.", she informed her calmly and softly.

"The baby?", she was worried that maybe the high fever she had earlier might have done something to her baby.

"The baby is doing just fine, Mrs. Carson.", she smiled reassuringly. "You just have to rest to regain all your strength back and you will be up and about in no time.", she said and squeezed her hand. "Why don't you close your eyes to get some more rest before Carson comes with your dinner?", she smiled when the older woman nodded and closed her eyes.

Cora returned back to her knitting sitting in the armchair. She didn't want to leave her alone before someone else came to look after her. She had to admit to herself that she was quite fond of the older woman. She had left her house when she was nineteen years old to get into service and worked hard to be where she was today, the housekeeper of Downton Abbey. She promised to herself that she would make sure the older woman was getting the necessary rest during her pregnancy.

She had fallen asleep herself in the armchair when something woke her up. She was confused and tried to figure out what had waken her up when she heard it again and found out that it was coming from the bed. As she looked towards the bed she discovered that Elsie was tossing around in her sleep and muttering something. She was at once at her side lightly shaking her. "Mrs. Carson, wake up. It's only a dream.", she was talking in a calm and soft voice.

That seemed to do the trick as Elsie relaxed and opened her eyes to look at the young woman. She was trying hard to hold back her tears but she couldn't do it anymore and started crying. Cora sat still for a moment before pulling her into her arms. She started rocking her back and forth to calm her down.

"I'm so scared.", Elsie told her between her sobs.

"Of what? What happened in the dream you had?", she asked her worried now.

"That my baby was born but it was born dead. I don't want to lose my baby.", she started crying once more.

Cora had to try hard to hold back her tears as she continued rocking the woman in her arms back and forth. After a while the sobs had subsided and Elsie had fallen asleep in Cora's arms. The younger woman didn't have the heart to leave her now, so she just stayed there holding her. That was how Charles found the two women when he entered the room holding a tray.

"What happened?", he asked in a low voice.

"She had a nightmare and I managed to calm her after a while.", she informed him and watched how he watched his wife sleeping with concern on his face.

"She had a nightmare that the baby was born dead.", he told to no one.

"How did you know?", Cora was confused and worried now.

"She started worrying that the baby may be born dead because she is a little too old to be pregnant. The first two days we were very happy about the pregnancy and we started making plans but suddenly she started worrying that the baby may be born dead. She had a couple of nightmares like that in the last four days.", he informed Lady Grantham without taking his eyes from his wife.

"She can't continue like that. It isn't good for her and the baby. You have to speak to her, Carson.", she said as she looked down at the woman sleeping.

"I will, M'lady.", he told her.

"I will leave you now. Good night, Carson.", she said and left the room quickly to find her husband. She needed his arms to hold her.

He woke her up after a few moments to eat something and talked to her about her fear. She promised to stop worrying and to follow the doctor's orders. She slept peacefully that night in the arms of her husband and had nice dreams with her husband and their child.

**Please, please, please review! I would like to know what you think of this chapter!**

**To Be Continued…**


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